Editor: I would like stress my concerns on increasing property taxes and the decision to move forward with the Chatham-Kent Community Hub.
I strongly oppose any tax increase for the following reasons:
- Property taxes have increased every year since January 2019 with more than five-per-cent increases in both 2023 and 2024;
- There has been a significant increase in the number of houses, town houses and apartment buildings built recently in Chatham. This should have increased the tax revenue to help prevent any further increases;
- Chatham-Kent’s population consists of many seniors on fixed incomes (OAS and CPP) single persons trying to make ends meet and single families trying to raise their young children;
- This could increase the number of households visiting food banks due to inflation, when we already have a significant rise in numbers.
I feel that the current structures for city hall, fire department, library and museum are in perfect locations for residents. They provide free parking and easy access for seniors, children and disabled individuals. I do understand that these structures need some renovations. Why not renovate them and stay in them to provide the same services? Why would we pay to renovate them only to sell them?
I don`t understand why we spent millions of dollars to purchase the Sears building only to spend millions more to renovate it. This location does not provide easy access for children, seniors or disabled individuals. Citizens would have a lengthy walk from the Mall parking lot to the new destination of these services. If there is not enough space in the Sears structure for these businesses, then more space would have to be rented from the mall owners at the taxpayer’s expense.
Chatham-Kent citizens are already struggling to feed themselves, their families and pay their ever increasing bills. Raising taxes again could force citizens to sell their homes and move into over-priced rental units and may end up homeless in the end.
Citizens are just trying to survive due to the inflation of every necessity in their daily living.
I suggest the following to be adopted in the future:
- Implement hiring freeze;
- Reduce number of councillors from 18 to eight-to-10 (Editor’s note: Council is shrinking by three members next election);
- Remove unnecessary high-paying salary positions which could include the CAO;
- Stop buying old schools and other buildings that are just sitting empty. We should fix the properties already purchased so money can be made from rent received or for resale;
- Responsible spending on housing and much-needed road repairs instead of purchasing Sears for unnecessary relocation of current businesses.
I would like to thank councillors Michael Bondy, Alysson Storey, Rhonda Jubenville and
John Wright for listening to their constituents and acting on their wishes to vote against the Hub. They will have my continued support.
Deb Pinsonneault
Chatham-Kent
